Julie Ann Art

Sponsor Spotlight: Pillow Thought

2012-05-25T12:57:00.001-07:00

Meet one of my lovely sponsors, Lindsey!

(And her completely adorable daughter!!)

Hi, I'm Lindsey Marlor over at Pillow Thought. I would describe myself as a creative! I am a full time mom and part time photographer. I was born in the south and moved away to college where i met my husband almost 7 years ago and now consider myself stuck in Idaho.. for the meantime:) I blog about all things inspirational, whether it be fashion, home decor, party planning, tutorials, and of course I share a little about my real life every week!

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Lindsey is offering one lucky reader Large Ad Space on Pillow Thought for the month of June!

Like Pillow Thought on Facebook. Then leave me a comment telling me you've done so. Please include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win!

*you must follow my blog to participate in sponsor giveaways*

1.) Follow Lindsey's Blog

2.) Follow Pillow Thought on Twitter
3.) Share this post on Twitter using this tweet:
"Enter to win large ad space from @pillowthought on @julieannart blog! http://tinyurl.com/7by2kwd"
4.) Follow Julie Ann Art on Twitter
5.) Like Julie Ann Art on Facebook

Be sure to leave an additional comment for each extra credit option! That gives you a total of six chances to win! I will announce the winner, chosen by random.org, here in one week! Good luck!

Etch Films

2012-05-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

I have a video for you today!! So excited to share! I previously mentioned that Jordan and I had the honor of shooting a gala for the local children's hospital. We have primarily shot weddings in the past, so this was a new venture for us. I was extremely nervous and was totally questioning my shooting abilities. Then we got there, all that went out the window and we went to WORK!

I think it was my initial doubt in myself that made me extra proud of how this video turned out. Jordan did a great job with the editing and I'm really happy to be a part of EtchFilms.

EtchFilms also has a brand new website and facebook page. They are still in the beginning stages but we are working hard at kicking this company off and would love your support! There's a lot more to come, including more videos to be shared, promise.

Etsy Friendship Bracelets by Ciera Design

2012-05-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hi y'all! I'm Ciera and I blog over at Ciera Design about my adventures as a freelance graphic designer and everything that inspires me as an artist! I'm so happy to be guest posting today on Julie Ann Art.

I have always loved the bright colors of friendship bracelets so I started looking through Etsy to see what was out there. Truthfully, I was not expecting to find so much awesomeness! I mean, look at these bracelets! I think these would make great gifts for any occasion, I want to get them for everyone I know! I hope you all enjoy this collection of handmade friendship bracelets!

Do you have a favorite?

1 Ana Osgood Jewelry // 2 Nautical Wheeler // 3 Koko & Beau // 4 It’s Me, Mary // 5 TINNLILY // 6 Nautical Wheeler // 7 Simply You Jewelry // 8 Ana Osgood Jewelry

Raspberry Mojito Recipe

2012-05-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

We had a family brunch at our house this weekend and I wanted to make a fruity afternoon beverage. I've always been a big fan of minty mojitos and I wanted to add in raspberries, my favorite fruit! I started off following this standard mojito recipe but made a lot of modifications along the way and even learned something.

What you'll need:

(for about 4 servings)

12 ounces Raspberries

1 bunch Mint Leaves

4 Limes

1 cup White Rum

2 cups Club Soda

4 tsp Powdered Sugar

Lots of Ice

Combine the mint leaves, powdered sugar and lime juice in a pitcher. Using the end of a wooden spoon, muddle the mint leaves to help release the minty flavor (more on that later). I then pureed most of the raspberries using a blender and used a strainer to separate the juice from the seeds. Throw the remaining raspberries into the pitcher, along with the rum and club soda.

This is where I did my first taste test. Yuck. It tasted way too much like just club soda and rum. I decided that in order to really get that mint flavor to come out, I was going to let it sit and ferment for a while. I threw a bunch of ice cubes in the pitcher and placed it in the fridge. After a few hours I poured myself a glass over crushed ice. There it was! A mojito just like the ones I have ordered at restaurants. It just needed a little time. Enjoy!

Craft Show Display Sneak Peek

2012-05-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

I'm down to the final countdown for my next show, less than a week left! I've been stocking up my inventory and playing with the final details of my table set up. I thought I'd share a few details of what I have so far. Any tips are appreciated!

I have always really enjoyed the rough, natural look of chalk on chalkboard so I decided to incorporate that onto some of the wooden crate walls.

I'm using the card rack Jordan made me (tutorial here) to display the majority of my cards. I added a single strand of twine to secure the cards in case it's windy. What do you think? Too distracting?

To make these signs, I sprayed wooden rectangle's I got from Michaels with chalkboard paint and glued them to safety pins.

( DIY business card holder from this tutorial.)

I also have a few cameras as props, along with some books and mason jars. They are all things that I am drawn to if I spot them myself so maybe I can get some buyer's attention!

I picked up a wooden box at a garage sale a few weeks ago. I made it to a special Father's Day section since the show is just a few weeks before the ~~Hallmark~~ Etsy holiday. ;]

So I think it's coming along! I'm really excited for this show. It is only my second "real" show but I've heard it's a really good one for sellers. I have only been a buyer for the past two years. If you're near Orange County, be sure to come say hi! It's May 27th and you can get more information here.

Sponsor Spotlight: Happee Monkee

2012-05-18T08:44:00.001-07:00

You may remember Mable, of the Happee Monkee, from her yummy French Chocolate Cake guest post! Today she is here to share a bit of who she is and what she does (which appears to be a lot of traveling and that makes me so jealous!)

Hello! I'm the snappy happy photographer behind Happee Monkee. I'm also a travel journalist and food blogger, in fact, photography was born from the marriage of these two passions. I'm a restless monkey and I am so blessed to be able to pick up my camera and photograph some of the world's most beautiful spots with my best mate (my husband)

My workspace varies depending on the location. I have been to Kiruna, Sweden which in my personal view is one of the most fascinating places in the world. When I'm not traveling, my favourite work space is by the dining table around mid-afternoon when the sun is shining through. My neighbours probably think I'm an oddball but I've learned to be pretty thick skinned by now.

Be sure to show Happee Monkee some link love!

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**P.S. The winner of last week's giveaway was announced here.**

My Style: Alphabet Dress

2012-05-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

Outfit details: Dress: ASOS (out of stock), Belt: Target, Shoes: Blowfish Shoes

I loooove this dress! It is my first high-neck dress and I totally feel like I'm channeling my inner-Betty Draper (not sure that's a good thing actually since she's not the nicest, but you know what I mean!) And maybe it's the typography nerd in me but I think the lettering detail is adorable. I paired it with my new blowfish shoes, that I found through this post from Sandy, of SandyalaMode! I don't wear heels too often but when I do, I'm a sucker for a red wedge! ;] What's your favorite fashion accessory?

Lately in Instagrams

2012-05-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been busy. What else is new, right? Well, let's just say it has been busier than usual. I have been putting the majority of my time towards the growth of my greeting card business. My main focus for the past few months has been adding more inventory to my Etsy shop (Father's Day cards lately!) and getting more wholesale orders from brick and mortar stores. Oh, and preparing for the craft show, Patchwork, on May 27th (locals: come say hi!).

I have been working a lot on improving my display. A lot of changes have been made since I snapped this photo a couple weeks ago, but I think it's finally getting to where I want it to be. I'm trying to think like a buyer and make it a table that would catch my interest (aka: by using sweet vintage tins and turquoise accents). My most recent changes involved chalkboard paint. Do you recognize the DIY card rack from this post? So lucky to have a supportive and handy man in my life!

And of course, show preparation involves printing and packaging up stock. Now, this is something I can't take credit for. The picture above (and in fact, the contents of the large box in the picture below) are all thanks to my good friend, Katie. She has started coming over weekly to enjoy yummy homemade food (yesterday's was peach crisp) and guilty pleasure TV, along with consistent card folding. It is so nice to not get overwhelmed from wholesale orders anymore. She is seriously more help than she realizes! And what's more, she actually seems to enjoy it. :]

But of course, we always make sure to find the time to close the laptops, take a break, walk away. The busier we get, the harder this is. There is literally always work to be done and it's difficult, for me especially, to put it on hold for a while. I just have so many ideas and plans (and responsibilities!). I feel like I work too much and yet not enough at the same time.

Also, forgive me, Instagram followers, for not being able to explain what was going on among my hospital Instagram photo streak. I had an emergency room visit last week and I still don't know what exactly happened. What I do know is that I had an allergic reaction to a food. My throat and eye swelled up (randomly, having not eaten anything brand new) and Jordan took me to the ER. I got my first IV and was pumped with steroids and Benedryl. It was really scary, especially since this has never happened to me before. I stayed home from work the following day, getting plenty of rest with little Penny (is it me or does she looked worried about me in this photo?) I've finished my meds and will be getting tested at the allergist to find out what this newly-developed allergy is. (Hoping it's not peanuts, love me some peanut butter!)

So, what have YOU been up to?

Australia: Our Last Stop

2012-05-14T08:10:00.001-07:00

All good things must come to an end. Our last stop in Australia was the Byron Boutique Barn in Byron Bay. Yes, you can rent barns in Australia. Amazing, right? This place was PERFECT.

Everything in the barn was wooden, rustic, perfect. We were both in heaven. Talk about dream house.

We were right on the edge of wide open Australian hinterlands, surrounded by huge green trees. Our welcome note from the barn's owners told us that we were staying during a very rare "prime koala time." The koalas were extremely loud throughout the night. Crazy high-pitched screeching! It sort of made the experience that much cooler though. We were in the middle of the Australian jungle, in this awesome barn surrounded by wild koalas. It was such a special place to spend our last nights.

Oh, and it has a private pool with a gorgeous view! We arrived at the barn later in the afternoon (after our horseback riding adventures) and had a very short amount of time to enjoy the barn/pool/view before we took off for the wedding's rehearsal dinner. Yep, the reason we went to Australia! Our last day was spent filming a gorgeous wedding in the Australian hinterlands. (Video in progress!)

We have a lot of video footage from Australia and we are hoping that one of us can find the time to put a quick vid together *soon*. Things have been so busy around here lately! But more on that later....;]

Sponsor Spotlight + Giveaway: Shannon Hearts

2012-05-11T08:53:00.002-07:00

This giveaway is CLOSED. The winner was #65, Megan! Congrats!

The lovely Shannon, of Shannon Heart's, is back for another month on JAA! I'm so happy to have her. She is a true joy to work with, SO sweet, and her blog is lovely!

Hi, Julie Ann Art readers, I'm Shannon from Shannon Heart's. I blog about personal style, fashion, photography, my travels, and all the pretty things I discover along the way.

(Can I just chime in real quick and say I'm in love with her bird cage skirt here?!)

Pinterest // Blog // Twitter // Facebook

Today Shannon is offering one lucky reader large ad space on her blog! Shannon Heart's has over 1,300 followers and averages 30,000 pageviews per month! What are you waiting for?!

Follow Shannon's Blog. Then leave me a comment telling me you've done so. Please include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win!

*you must follow my blog to participate in sponsor giveaways*

1.) Like Shannon Hearts on Facebook

2.) Follow kanelstrand on Twitter
3.) Share this post on Twitter using this tweet:
"Enter to win large ad space from @shannonhearts1 on @julieannart blog! http://tinyurl.com/8ygnvvo"
4.) Follow Julie Ann Art on Twitter
5.) Like Julie Ann Art on Facebook

**P.S. The winner of last week's giveaway was announced here.**

French Chocolate Cake Recipe from HappeeMonkee

2012-05-09T09:47:00.002-07:00

You guys are in for a treat today! One of my sponsors, Mable, of HappeeMonkee is here today to share an amazing French recipe (one that looks so fancy that I'm scared to tackle it with my minimal kitchen skills!). Enjoy!

I first started food blogging out of boredom. My baking skills back then (2007) was pretty non-existent but I decided to teach myself how to bake as a challenge. One of my favourite recipe books is by Carole Clements and Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen - French: Delicious classic cuisine made easy. I stole it from my brother and I'm sure I got more use out of it than he did.

French Chocolate Cake ( serves 10 – 12)

---------------------------------------------------

3/4 cup icing sugar

280g dark chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup unsalted butter, chopped

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 eggs, separated

1/4 cup of plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

pinch of salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Generously butter a 9½-inch springform pan, then sprinkle the pan with a little sugar and tap out the excess.

2. Set aside 3 tbsp of icing sugar and place remaining sugar in a saucepan with the chocolate and butter over low-heat.

3. When the ingredients has melted and dissolved, remove the pan and stir in vanilla extract. Let mixture cool slightly.

4. Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, beating each in well, then stir in the flour.

5. In a clean grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites slowly with an electric mixer until they are frothy. Increase the speed, add the salt and continue to beat until soft peaks form.

6. Sprinkle over the reserved sugar and beat until whites are stiff and glossy.

7. Beat one-third of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold remaining whites.

8. Carefully pour the mixture into the springform pan, tap the pan gently to release any air bubbles.

9. Bake the cake for about 35 – 45 minutes until well risen or when skewer comes out clean.

10. Transfer the cake and let cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache

---------------------------------------------------

8 ounces, or approximately 230g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp brandy or run

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Method:

1. To make the ganache, bring the cream to boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and add chocolate all at once, stirring until melted and smooth. Stir in brandy or rum and beat in softened butter.

3. Set aside for about 5 – 10 minutes to thicken slightly. (Ganache should coat the back of a spoon in a thick smooth layer)

To Assemble:

Pour the warm ganache over the cake all at once, titling gently to help spread it evenly on all surfaces. Use a spatula to smooth sides, decorate with a sprinkle of chopped pistachio nuts (¼ cup).

Enjoy!

A Special Video

2012-05-08T08:59:00.004-07:00

You may know that I am a camera (wo)man for Jordan's videography business. Well, this weekend, we shot an amazing gala that was being held to raise money for the local children's hospital. Our videography services were a donation, and also a thank you. Jordan's niece was born prematurely and spent the first several months of her life in the hospital's NICU. Needless to say, this event was near and dear to our hearts.

Jordan's sister, Janelle, was one of the event's speakers. She shared the story of her daughter, Bella's, birth, and the challenges they faced as Bella fought to survive. As if this wasn't enough to make me tear up, she also shared the video Jordan put together of the 1st year of Bella's life. Tears were officially falling. What an emo videographer I am.

Anyways, I realized that while I had shared one of the wedding videos we shot, along with a few compilation videos Jordan put together, I never shared the Bella video with you. It is very special to us and I hope you will enjoy it.

Australia: Day 8, Part 1

2012-05-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my last Australia post, on our 8th day we left Yamba early in the morning because we had some exciting plans set in Lennox Head at 10am. Jordan signed us up for horse back riding on the beach! Horse back riding is something I've been wanting to do for so long now, I seriously bring it up every time we are on vacation. It was so amazing to finally get to do this on the coast of Australia!

My horse was a little guy named Strider. We trotted a long ways down the coast, and Jordan even took his horse into the water. Not like, walking in shallow areas, I'm talking the horse waist deep in waves. Yeah, he's crazy, I know. I managed to get some great video footage from the shore. (I'm hoping to make a collaboration video of all our Aussie footage....as soon as I find the time!)

So I was fine when my horse was walking, but as soon as he picked up speed I just could not get the rhythm right! I was concentrating so hard on "being one with the horse" as the instructor would say. Yeah, it was not working. My butt was SO sore the next day (or two).

I am such a softie when it comes to animals. That was one of the best things I experienced in Australia. From horses, to koala, to kangaroos, even to pelicans....I sure got my animal fix! Next up is our last stop in Australia. It was, hands down, the best place we stayed, and leaving was soooo hard! I will never forget it.

Sponsor Spotlight + Giveaway: Kanelstrand

2012-05-04T08:48:00.002-07:00

This giveaway is CLOSED. The winner was #32, Jenni.

I'm so happy to introduce you guys to Sonya, of Kanelstrand today! She is an amazing photographer! I really enjoy the surreal feeling her photography gives me.

My name is Sonya and I live in a pine forest by the sea. That is where my inspiration comes from. I like the close touch of nature, the colors of autumn and the smell of the sea. I am a photographer, a writer and a minimalist. I've seen the last 15 years through the viewfinder of my camera. I go through life collecting moments and turn them into beautiful visual stories. Apart from photography and nature, I am passionate about simple, green living and that is the main topic of my blog, which has become the meeting point of a vibrant green community of eco-conscious artists and crafters from around the world.

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Get 20% off your order with the coupon code 20OFF!

Today Sonya is offering one lucky reader a $60 shop credit to her shop of dreamy, surreal photographic prints!

Favorite Sonya's Etsy Shop. Then leave me a comment telling me you've done so. Please include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win!

*you must follow my blog to participate in sponsor giveaways*

1.) Comment with your favorite item from Sonya's shop
2.) Follow Sonya's blog

3.) Like Kanelstrand on Facebook

4.) Follow kanelstrand on Twitter
5.) Share this post on Twitter using this tweet:
"Enter to win $60 shop credit to @kanelstrand on @julieannart blog! http://tinyurl.com/7kdfl2o"

**P.S. The winner of last week's giveaway was announced here.**

Raspberry Almond Tart

2012-05-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

I have a light and airy dessert for you today! Perfect for summer time. This easy recipe actually came on the packaging of one of my new pie dish. It reminded me of a recipe that my Mom always used to make with our home grown raspberries (oooh how I loved those fresh raspberries). This version is more "almond-y" than I remember, but it's still a good dessert that doesn't leave you feeling full.

Ingredients:

1 Ready-toBake Pie Crust

6 oz Raspberries

1 1/2 c Heavy Cream

1/2 Confectioner's Sugar

4 tbs Amaretto

1/2 c toasted almonds, coarsely crumbled

(I skipped the almonds, Jordan's not a huge fan)

Back the pie crust according to the package directions. Set aside to let crust cool for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream, confectioner's sugar and amaretto. Whip till firm peaks form. (It took me about 5 minutes.) Fold in toasted almonds. Pour the mixture onto the cooled pie crust. Arrange berries on top and enjoy!

Being Real

2012-05-01T09:04:00.001-07:00

Outfit Details: Pretty sure everything is from Tilly's. Cute stuff and great prices!

The more I blog and the more I build relationships with fellow bloggers, the more I want to make sure they know the real me. I want to make sure that the portrayal my blog gives of me, my life, is genuine. And we all know, life isn't always easy. As I continue to get more comfortable with you, I can feel myself getting more open. I'm no longer afraid to share my fears and my struggles with you and that's a special feeling!

In other news: I got bangs! I have been wanting them for over a year and I finally got the courage. I actually like them and plan to maintain them rather than the "ok I did it now I'm going to go through the awful growing out stages". I feel like they're "me." The real me. ;]

Linking up with TheLetter4 and ThePleatedPoppy

Australia: Day 6 + 7

2012-04-30T08:40:00.001-07:00

While traveling up the coast of Australia was amazing, I wish we would've had more time for the journey. As I mentioned in my previous Australia post, the accommodations were really great there. But we only had a day at each place before we had to get back on the road and we were never really ready to leave! Aanuka Beach Resort, in Coffs Harbor, was no exception. In fact we stayed there the majority of the day, not getting back on the road until evening.

We found this resort in my Lonely Planet Australia book. It described Aanuka as a luxurious resort set amid luscious foliage. Um, yes please! It ended up being exactly what we needed. We enjoyed a beautiful day of relaxation.

The resort was filled with huge lizards. They would get eerily close, occasionally even jumping in the pool with us for a swim.

We drank a lot of pina coladas. It was pretty much heaven.

One of the perks to this beautiful resort was that it was also right on the beach. We made sure to take some time away from the pool to enjoy the ocean. The water was soooo much warmer than the water here in California.

The beach was covered with tons of shells and stones. We walked by the waters edge trying to find pretty ones. It was also covered with crabs. Literally, I'm laying on a towel and there are multiple crabs digging within arm's reach of me. Not a fan.

This was one of my favorite days of the trip. We just relaxed, explored, got some sun, and drank some fruity drinks. Since we didn't leave the resort until later in the day, we ended up arriving at our next stop, Yamba, just in time for dinner. We pulled into town, snagged the last ocean-side room of a little motel, scarfed some Italian food and passed out. We took off from Yamba pretty early on Day 8. I was sort of bummed we couldn't stay longer, as they had what was called an "ocean pool." It was an ocean-water pool basically right in the ocean. But we had to take off because we had some pretty awesome plans set up in Lennox Head at 10am! Stay tuned. :]

Sponsor Spotlight + Giveaway: Anna Delores Photography

2012-04-27T08:06:00.002-07:00

**CLOSED. The winner is #83, Larisa. Congrats!**

Emily Reiter is the fine art photographer behind Anna Delores Photography. Emily got her first camera (a purple plastic 110 film Kodak) before she was 10 years old and she's been smitten ever since. Founded in 2011 in Los Angeles, California, the name “Anna Delores” comes from Emily's maternal great-grandmother (Anna) and paternal grandmother (Delores); she thought it appropriate to pair her passion for antique, vintage-style photos and ephemera with a name for her photography venture that honored her own heritage. Anna Delores Photography is about seizing a moment, and from that moment Emily strives to produce a creatively-inspired image that appreciates an otherwise overlooked object or scene of beauty. Her goal is to create photographs that make a connection with people, whether by recalling memories of a past trip abroad or summoning the human emotional connection to everyday objects. Anna Delores Photography produces fine art photographic prints that clients are excited and proud to display in their home or office.

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Get a whopping 40% off your order with the coupon code JULIEANN!

Today Emily is offering one lucky reader a set of 4 8x8, 8x12, or 8x12 photography prints! ($75 value!!)

Follow Anna Delores Photography on Twitter. Then leave me a comment telling me you've done so. Please include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win!

*you must follow my blog to participate in sponsor giveaways*

1.) Follow Emily's blog
2.) Comment with your favorite item in Emily's shop

3.) Like Anna Delores Photography on Facebook

4.) Share this giveaway on Twitter using the tweet:
"Enter to win 4 of your favorite prints from @annadeloresLA on @julieannart blog! http://tinyurl.com/6o3rakc"

Be sure to leave an additional comment for each extra credit option! That gives you a total of five chances to win! I will announce the winner, chosen by random.org, here in one week! Good luck!

**P.S. The winner of last week's giveaway was announced here.**

DIY Coat Rack Tutorial

2012-04-26T08:39:00.001-07:00

So I don't know about you, but my closet is a mess. I've been working on organizing it for a looong time now (baby steps). So I already figured out how to better organize my tights, but this weekend I needed to figure out how to better organize my scarves. Up until this weekend they were carelessly draped over the doors of my closet, adding clutter to the overall appearance of our room. But this is actually the perfect project for coats, hats, even necklaces!

What you'll need:

Wood

(I got a pallet from my work that Jordan disassembled for me. But I'm sure you can go to Home Depot and have it cut to size if you can't find an old pallet.)

Spray Paint

Primer

(if the wood is a dark color)

Hooks

(got mine at ACE)

If you are working with an older, worn piece of wood like I was, I recommend sanding it first before spray painting it. Once the paint is dry use a pencil to mark where you'd like your hooks to go. I did this with the help of a ruler, level and Jordan. He also helped me attach the hooks with screws. I may be crafty....but I'm not the best with tools.

It's that easy! Mine fits perfectly on the back of our bedroom door. I might make another one for coats to put by to our front door next!

Three Grilled Cheese Recipes

2012-04-25T08:43:00.001-07:00

Happy National Grilled Cheese month! Today I'm going to help you celebrate it with three nomnom grilled cheese recipes. They are all quite different so at least one of them should tantalize a taste bud or two! I am all for throwing ingredients on some bread in a frying pan and ending up with a gooey, yet crunchy, delicious masterpiece.

Margherita Grilled Cheese

You can't go wrong with this classic combo!

Bread

Tomato

Basil

Mozzarella Cheese

Green Goddess Grilled Cheese

Ok this is amazing. Period.

Avocado

Spinach

Pesto

Mozarella Cheese

Goat Cheese

Pear Gorganzola Grilled Cheese

Interesting sweet twist!

Sliced Pear

Gorgonzola

Dijon Mustard

Honey

Candied Walnuts

(I added dried cranberries too)

Pile ingredients onto a slice of bread and grill that baby in an oiled hot frying pan! I paired them with some tomato basil soup and it made a great lunch for us this weekend! We both tried each recipe. Jordan's fav is the Margherita and mine is the Green Goddess. What's yours? :]

Speaking Out

2012-04-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

You may recognize the design on the left, as I first shared it back in February in this blog post. The image on the right is from a fellow card seller, blogger and acquaintance of mine. She is closely connected to my internet circle and was a sponsor on my blog in February, when I first shared this stamp design.

I have had issues with this seller before and without going into too much detail, this was the best representation I could share of what has been going on. I'm most upset at this blatant lack of respect for creative integrity.

I hope speaking out about this will, in some small way, help reduce this growing problem more and more of us are facing. Originality and brand differentiation are key to having a successful business. Your work is protected by copyright law the moment it is introduced into commerce and does not have to be registered to be protected. Do not be afraid to speak out for yourself when it comes to protecting your brand's integrity. xo JA

**Just to clarify, the seller was NOT one of the sponsors included in my February group sponsor post.**

Newspaper Graphic Art Tutorial by Two Hoots + A Holler

2012-04-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Julie Ann readers! I'm so excited to be over here today. My name is Mae and I blog over at Two Hoots & a Holler.

Today I'm going to show you the easiest craft ever, inspired by this photo I found on Pinterest:

source

I'm a huge fan of the 1950's retro style (who isn't?) and when I saw these images on the Graphics Fairy, I knew I had to use them. Remembering the book art I had pinned above, I quickly tore pages out of an old sewing book and got to printing.

I then used an old window I found in my mom's barn as the frame. I used ribbon to add a border around each print and voila! Easiest craft ever.

And just because I'm a huge fan of interactive art, I put a jar of dry erase markers beside the frame and encourage guests to add their own dialogue box to the images.

This kind of book art is SO easy it feels wrong and the possibilities are absolutely endless. Go find some images you like, a book or newspaper you don't want anymore, and happy printing!

Sponsor Giveaway: The Plaid Barn

2012-04-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

**This giveaway is CLOSED. The winner is #76, Katherine Tokyo. Congrats!**

I have such a great giveaway for you guys today from The Plaid Barn! They offer a great service and I'm proud to say that I have been a customer of theirs in the past (and continue to be). The Plaid Barn offers daily deals on craft supplies, packaging, and DIY items. I like to take advantage of the packaging supplies because I love adding cuteness to my packaging but it's not always budget-friendly. The Plaid Barn totally helped me out with that! (I recently purchased the cute heart stickers in the photo below.)

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And just a heads up, once you sign up for their newsletter, keep an eye out for their special deal tomorrow (Saturday, the 21st)! They are offering a goodie box stuffed to the rim with amazing supplies for only $13.97 plus shipping and handling)

The Plaid Barn is giving away a $25 Plaid Barn box of goodies to TWO lucky Julie Ann Art readers! The box will include goodies from great past deals that you can view here.

Sign up for The Plaid Barn newsletter here (so you are first to hear about the daily deals because trust me, they sell out fast!) and then leave a comment telling me you've done so.

*you must follow my blog to participate in sponsor giveaways*

1.) Share this giveaway on Twitter. Please use the tweet: " Enter to win cute craft supplies from @ThePlaidBarn on @JulieAnnArt blog! http://tinyurl.com/7horamf "

2.) Like The Plaid Barn on Facebook
3.) Follow The Plaid Barn on Twitter

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Ombre Nail Tutorial by Anna Delores Photography

2012-04-19T08:27:00.002-07:00

Greetings, Julie Ann Art readers! My name is Emily and I'm visiting from the Anna Delores blog. The amazing (as you already know) Julie Ann agreed to let me share a fun nail trend that is also really, really easy to execute: ombre nails.

The ombre manicure made its appearance as a hot trend last summer, and it's back and better than ever for 2012. You can go matte, shimmer, glitter, or merge colors on one nail with sneaky makeup tool tricks -- but I'm giving you the EASY version today, just to get you started.

When I first saw this trend, I thought I'd need five different polishes in the same color family, just lighter and darker versions of each other. I knew I had enough polishes to make it happen (I think I have 15+ polishes just in pinks), but shades can vary so much -- some are warm tones, some are cool tones, some are shimmery, some are matte, etc. But THEN I realized: all you REALLY need is one dark polish and one white polish. See where I'm going with this?

For my color inspiration, I decided on "Devious," a midnight purple shade in a creamy matte (no shimmer) that I got from Ulta (whose eponymous nail polish is buy one, get one free right now!). For white, I used Sephora by OPI in "A-ha! Moment," a bright opaque white.

Perhaps this is obvious, but I recommend doing all your manicure prep before pouring and mixing colors, as once you measure out your polish, it (of course) starts to dry. Because I got excited and poured my polish before applying my base coat (Nicole by OPI Base Coat Plus), the polish was a little thick and had already started to harden when I was ready to apply. My end result wasn't as tidy as it should've been, since I was negotiating with half-dry polish. Yuck.

Measure out four dollops of your dark polish (I originally did five because I was thinking, five fingers, right? But for the fifth one, you can use the original color out of the bottle, of course! Duh, Emily). Add drops of white to each, one at a time -- mix as you go so you can see if you need to go lighter or darker, and adjust the remaining "swatches" accordingly. I had to fuss with mine a little to get the right gradient of colors.

And voilà! You've got your ombre palette. You can start at whichever end you like (your pinkie or your thumb) -- I opted for starting dark on my pinkie and then working my way over, but you can do it the other direction, too, of course! It's up to you.

And that's that! I TOLD you it was easy. Finish with your favorite top coat and some lacquer-drying drops (just 1-2 drops per nail) -- I used OPI Top Coat and Nicole by OPI Drying Drops.

You can do this with pretty much any color as long as it's dark enough to begin with; the darker the shade, the greater your flexibility in making the gradient as dramatic as you like! I could've gone a lot lighter on my thumb color and thus had a more dramatic dark-to-light transition (as it is, the shades on my pinkie and ring finger look almost the same unless you're examining them in bright sunlight!). I like the subtlety of a tame gradient, but experiment with the colors and make it your own.

A few other color ideas to whet your whistle (and don't you love that glitter?):

And this is a whole other level (I think this is the true 2012 reincarnation of the ombre nail, but I'm just not ready yet):

Images via The Beauty Department.

Enjoy, and let us know if you try this out! And come say hello!

xo,
Emily

Sponsorship Call + Changes

2012-04-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

If you're active in the blogging world, you've probably heard about Passion Fruit Ads. I am one of the many bloggers who has transitioned into this new way of accepting sponsorship. It's an awesome service that makes sponsoring blogs easier and quicker for both bloggers and sponsors!

Ads can now be purchased at any time of the month! No more waiting until the 1st! Ads will still run for 30 days. They will go up on my blog as soon as I approve your ad image, as long as there are spots available. If ad space is sold out, your ad will be next in line to go up as soon as a spot becomes available. (As it worked out, spots will still go up the 1st of May, as all spots sold out in April!)

Also, Large sponsorships now include guest posts, along with an individual feature/giveaway! I'm really excited about this because it will give sponsors more exposure, along with giving my readers an idea of what they blog about. Yesterday's post was an example of a large sponsor guest post done by Darkroom and Dearly (and looks super delicious by the way if you have not seen it yet!!). Medium sponsorships will continue to include ad space only.

And the last change is that I'm now offering past sponsor discounts! Just a little thank you to those of you who have sponsored in the past! Please inquire for the promo code you can enter when purchasing through Passion Fruit Ads!

Take a look at my Advertising Page for my blog stats. You will also see you can immediately purchase a spot, instead of going back and forth through e-mail multiple times. Super time saver for all of us! Again, you don't have to wait, and your ad will go as soon as it possibly can!

If you have any questions about advertising on Julie Ann Art, feel free to e-mail me at julie.astra [at] yahoo [dot] com! xo JA